按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
ou'll try your hand at business； will you？〃
〃I'll try；〃 she said coldly。 His anger was igniting hers。〃 What else can I do？〃 she asked。〃 Let it all slip through your father's hands！ Lord； but I pity you！〃
〃What are you trying to tell me？〃 he asked。 His breath stank of liquor； and his face was shadowed with coarse unshaven hair。〃 That you'll ask for our resignations？ Is that it？〃
〃I don't know yet。〃 She turned her back on him。 She walked into the front drawing room and opened the small secretaire。 She sat down before it； and removed her book of bank drafts。 And uncapped the inkwell。
She could hear him pacing behind her as she wrote the cheque。
〃Tell me； cousin； does it feel good to have more than you can ever spend； more than you can ever count？ And to have done nothing to get it？〃
She turned； her eyes down； and she gave him the cheque。 She rose and went to the front window。 She lifted the lace curtain and looked out at the street。 Please go away； Henry； she thought dully； disconsolately。 She didn't want to hurt her uncle。 She didn't want to hurt anyone。 But what could she do？ She'd known for years about Randolph's embezzling。 She and her father had discussed it last time she was in Cairo。 Of course he had meant to take the situation in hand； always meant。 And now it fell to her。
She turned suddenly。 The silence made her uneasy。 She saw her cousin standing in the Egyptian room。 He was staring at her； his eyes cold and seemingly lifeless。
〃And when you marry Alex； will you disinherit us as well？〃
〃For the love of heaven； Henry。 Go away and leave me alone。〃
There was something stunning about his expression； about the sheer hardness of his face。 He wasn't young anymore； was he？ He looked ancient in his habits and in his guilt and in his self…deception。 Have pity； she thought。 What can you do to help him？ Give him a fortune and it will be gone within a fortnight。 She turned round again and looked out into the wintry London street。
Early passersby。 The nurse from across the way with the twins in their wicker carriage。 An old man hurrying along with a newspaper under his arm。 And the guard； the guard from the British Museum； slouching idly on the front steps just beneath her。 And down the street； in front of her uncle Randolph's； Sally the parlour maid shaking a rug out the front door because she was sure that no one was awake to see。
Why was there no sound behind her in the double rooms？ Why didn't Henry storm out； slamming the front door？ Perhaps he had left； but no； she heard a tiny furtive noise suddenly； a spoon touching china。 The damned coffee。
〃I don't know how it could have e to this；〃 she said； still gazing at the street before her。〃 Trust funds； salaries； bonuses； you had everything； both of you。〃
〃No； not everything； my dear；〃 he said。〃 You have everything。〃
Sound of coffee being poured。 For the love of heaven！
〃Look； old girl；〃 he said； his voice low and strained。〃 I don't want this quarrel any more than you do。 e。 Sit down。 Let's have a cup of coffee together like civilized people。〃
She couldn't move。 The gesture seemed more sinister than his anger。
〃e and have a cup of coffee with me； Julie。〃 Was there any way out of it？ She turned； her eyes downcast； and moved towards the table； only looking up when it seemed unavoidable； to see Henry facing her； the steaming cup in his outstretched hand。
There was something unaccountably odd about this； about the way he was offering it to her； about the peculiarly blank expression on his face。
But this had no more than a second to register。 For what she saw behind him caused her to freeze in her tracks。 Reason ruled against it； but the evidence of her senses was undeniable。
The mummy was moving。 The mummy's right arm was outstretched； the torn wrappings hanging from it； as the being stepped out of its gilded box！ The scream froze in her throat。 The tiling was ing towards her…towards Henry； who stood with his back to it…moving with a weak； shuffling gait； that arm outstretched before it； the dust rising from the rotting linen that covered it； a great smell of dust and decay filling the room。
〃What the devil's the matter with you！〃 Henry demanded。 But the thing was now directly behind him。 The outstretched hand closed on Henry's throat。
Her scream would not break loose。 Petrified； she heard only a dry shriek inside her； like the impotent cries of her worst dreams。
Henry turned； hands rising reflexively to protect himself； the coffee cup falling with a clatter to the silver tray。 A low roar escaped his lips as he fought the thing strangling him。 His fingers clasped at the filthy wrappings； the dust rose in gusts as the creature tore its left arm loose from the bindings； and sought to pinion its victim with both hands。
With an ignominious scream； Henry threw the creature off him； and pitched forward on all fours。 In an instant he was on his feet and scrambling across the carpet。 He ran through the front room and over the marble tile of the front hall to the door。
Speechless； terrified； Julie stared at the ghastly figure who knelt beside the center table。 The thing was panting； struggling for breath。 She scarcely heard the front door open or slam shut。
Never in her whole life had there been a moment so devoid of reason。 Shivering violently； she backed away in horror from this ragged being； this dead thing that had e to life； and seemed now unable to rise to its feet。
Was it looking at her？ Were those eyes glinting through the ragged bandages？ Blue eyes？ It reached out for her。 Her body was caught in a cold involuntary shudder。 A wave of dizziness passed over her。 Don't faint。 Whatever happens； don't Joint。
Suddenly it turned away。 Quite deliberately it looked towards its coffin； or was it the conservatory with the light pouring through its roof？ It lay as if exhausted on the Oriental carpet； and then it reached out as if towards the great flood of morning sun。
She could hear its breathing again。 Alive！ Dear God； alive！ It struggled to move forward； lifting its powerful torso only a little off the carpet and propelling itself with a sluggish movement of its knees。
Out of the shadowy drawing room it crawled inch by inch away from her until suddenly it reached the farthest rays of the
sun penetrating the library。 There it stopped； and seemed to breathe deeply as if actually breathing not air but light。 It lifted itself a little higher on its elbows； and began to crawl towards the conservatory again with greater speed。 The linen bandages trailed from its legs。 A path of dust was left on the rug。 The bandages on its aims were falling to pieces。 Fragments of linen broke loose and appeared to disintegrate in the light。
Without a conscious decision； she moved behind it； keeping a safe distance； yet quite unable to stop herself from following it； from staring as if spellbound at its grim progress through the conservatory doors。
Into the hottest glare of the sun it moved； and suddenly it stopped beside the fountain and rolled over on its back。 One hand reache